Dancing
by WriterInTheMaking101
Summary: Summer is hiding a lifealtering secret from Seth,Marissa and Ryan. What happens when they find out what she's been trying so hard to hide.
1. Chapter 1

**Alright everyone so I've been wanting to write this story for a fairly long time. Since my story Speeding Cars is coming to a close, I thought I would get this up. There are a few small changes, only two really. This story is set right after the Step Monster leaves, so Julie and Neil haven't gotten together yet. Also Marissa lives with Julie at the trailer park, instead of with Summer, for the purpose of this story.**

**Plotline: Summer's been hiding a big secret, a life threatening, life changing secret. What happens when Seth,Marissa and Ryan find out?**

**Pairings: Sethummer, Ryissa, Kandy**

**Rating: Alright it's late, I don't remember the ratings and I'm too lazy to look them up so we'll pretend this is a movie and it's rated 14 A, for some minor language but mostly for abuse.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything at all.**

Summer can recall vividly the first time her dad got drunk. Not drunk, in the sense of having one too many glasses of champagne. Summer had watched the step monster deal with this kind of drunk before. Her dad would laugh a lot and pat Summer very soundly on the shoulder. No. This was the kind of drunk that made her father get angry and loud.

And physical.

Summer had been eleven, nearly twelve. She had just come home from a sleepover at Marissa's. Holly had been there, and a bunch other girls. They had painted their nails, done their hair. Gossiped. Listened to Spice Girl music and danced. Summer had come bursting through the door, her purple over night bag slung over her shoulder. She had been really happy and was ready to sit down on her dad's knee and tell him everything about the sleepover.

_"Daddy!" Summer called. "Daddy, I'm home!" Summer put her bag down on the tiled floor, kicked her shoes off and shut the door. As soon as the door shut Summer's dad wobbled towards her. "Daddy? Are you okay?"_

_"What the hell are you doin' home?"_

_"Marissa's sleepover is done... Mykala's mom brought me home." Summer bit her lip and headed slowly for the stairs. "Daddy, I'm gonna go in my room now 'kay? Do you want me to get you anything? I think you're sick." Summer noticed that her Daddy's eyes weren't happy like they normally were. They looked scary and mad. _

_"Get your ass out of my sight."_

_"Daddy? What's wrong? Did I do something?"_

_"I said, get your ASS OUT OF MY SIGHT." He screamed, pointing a shaking hand upstairs. Summer took off for the stairs, dragging her bag after her. And then before she even knew what was happening, her Daddy was chasing her. He tripped her just as she was nearing the top of the stairs. _

_Summer was certain this was some kind of sick joke. This man wasn't her father. _

The next morning, Summer had shown up at school with bruises up and down her arms. It had been the second of September. All the other girls were wearing t-shirts. Summer had worn a big sweater.

"Sum? Aren't you hot?" Marissa had asked.

"No.. I'm cold. I think I'm getting sick or something."

And so no one knew. Summer's father had only done that a few times, maybe four times at the most. It was because of her mother and the problems her and her father were having. Summer could hear them at night, arguing. She would cover her ears with her pillow, hold Princess Sparkle tight and pretend like everything was fine. She never told anyone. And after her mother went away, things were fine.

Her Daddy was nice to her again. He even sort of apologized once. But now it was happening all over again. And Summer's no longer the little eleven year old she once was. She's seventeen now and her Daddy isn't nowhere near as gentle with her now. It's more than simple pinches or a few 'accidental' trips down the stairs.

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Summer never thought she would hear herself say it, or rather think it, but she misses the Step Monster. Well, that's not exactly true. Her father misses the Step Monster. A lot. Summer had always secretly prayed and hope that one day the Step Monster would back up her over-Botoxed self and leave New Port. But now she actually has and Summer would give almost anything for her to be back.

Not because she herself wants her back. But because maybe if she comes back, her Dad will be happy. Then maybe he'll stop hurting her and she'll be able to stop lying to Seth, Marissa and Ryan.

"Hey Sum?" Marissa asks. "You wanna come out with us. We're going down to the diner for a late night snack."

"No.. I can't sorry. I'm.. sick." Summer's not sick. Her face is covered in bruises. She's pretty sure if she went down to the diner looking like Kid Chino, they might get just a tad suspicious.

"Summer." Seth says in his goofy tone. "You're cordially invited over to the Cohen house, courtesy of Captain Oats. He misses Princess Sparkles so really, I'm only doing this for him."

Summer has to smile sadly as tears fill up her eyes and say in a normal voice, "Sorry Cohen. Oats'll have to wait. Princess Sparkles has a shit load of homework."

Only now it's Summer vacation. School's out. She can't hide behind piles of homework and tiredness as an excuse. So that Saturday, when she hears loud banging on her door she prepares to have a wild coughing fit and declare she's sick. Highly contagious, is what she'll say. But the voice she hears isn't the voice she expected.

"Ryan?" She calls cautiously. "Did my dad let you in?" She forgets she's supposed to sound sick and lets out a feeble cough.

"Summer? Ya decent?"

Hah! She thinks. Perfect excuse. "Noo.. I'm.." Summer has no idea what the hell she could be doing. "I'm just out of the shower."

"Ookay. Well can you get dressed? Marissa's waiting downstairs and Seth is coming. We're going down to the diner for breakfast."

Shit. Summer cradles her head in her hands and tries desperately to think of an excuse. "Summer?"

"Sure Atwood.. gimme ten minutes." In the following ten minutes, Summer rushes around her bedroom frantically. She finally puts on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a sweater. She fixes her hair so that the bruise on the side of her forehead is hardly visible unless you squint, and figures she can pass off the cut on her cheek as an accident.

"Daddy?" She calls nervously into his bedroom.

"What?" He yells back.

"I'm going out for breakfast, down to the diner. I.. um I won't be long." When a hungover moan reaches the door, Summer takes it for a yes and makes her way downstairs.

"Well, well." Seth says, kissing her. "Look who finally came out from hibernation."

"Very funny." Summer says softly. She can't really be bothered coming up with a halfway decent insult.

"Sum? How are you not like, extremely hot in those clothes? It's like ninety degrees out here." Marissa tucks a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and adjusts the strap of her tank top.

"No.. I'm fine." But Summer can't lie for much longer. Because they're walking to the diner and it really is hot out here. She's sweating already and Seth, Marissa and Ryan are looking at her strangely.

"Summer, seriously take that sweater off.. you'll get dehydrated or something." Seth says to Summer, staring at her in a concerned way.

"Cohen, I'm alright. I'm kind of cold actually." Summer shivers pointedly. Seth reaches over and in one swift movement yanks the sweater off.

"Ohmigod.

"Holy shit.."

"Summer. What the hell happened to your arms?"

Summer laughs, commanding herself not to cry. "Nothing. I just... y'know. I fell."

"And landed on your arms?"

"And I.. I just.. y'know how clumsy I am. Always tripping over my feet." Summer had always had this little speech planned out, if and when any of them found out. She would say how she'd been boxing lately and she really sucked and she was little so she was always getting her ass kicked.. something like that. Then she would laugh it off and change the subject. But when Summer stares down at her skinny arms, she realizes the boxing excuse would never work. Her arms are literally covered in bruises.

"Summer.. who the hell did this to you." Ryan asks. Seth has let Summer's sweater fall to the ground. He's just staring, gaping at her arms.

"No one.. I told you, I just fell." Summer's voice is hysterical and her eyes are filling up with tears. "It was my dad."

"Your dad? Your dad did this."

Summer moves her head up and down a tiny bit. "Yeah."

"Summer.."

"Don't." Summer begs. "Don't look at me like that. Like I'm some poor, pathetic little kid. Just... please don't." Summer's shaking how, badly. She can't help it. It's like when you're little and you fall down and scrape your knees alone, while riding your bike or whatever. It hurts and you're a little scared but you're okay. But as soon as you see your mom or your friends and they see your knees and ask you what happened, they start hurting horribly and you can't help but cry. "Can we just go back to your house or something?" She asks Seth.

"Okay." Seth makes a motion as if to put his arms around her but she almost flinches at his touch so he recoils. And suddenly, it all falls into place.

The way Summer had been so touchy lately. He would go to kiss her and she'd spring apart from him, saying she had to go home. He'd try to coax her out of her sweater and she'd jump away and start pacing his bedroom. He layed his hand on her back and she would close her eyes tightly, as though Seth was hurting her. He realizes, for the first time, how right that thought might have been.

They're back at the Cohen's, heading for the pool house. Ryan pulls down the blinds and they stand around awkwardly. "Sum.. how long has he been doing this?" Marissa asks Summer, her right hand supporting her left arm.

"A few months... after the Step Monster left. He just... he started drinking a lot and when he just.. he did this." Summer gestures feebly to her arms.

"Where else?"

Summer doesn't even think about lying and saying he's only ever hit her there. She pulls up her shirt to reveal a number of bruises and cuts. Finger marks are around her neck. She pushes her hair back to reveal the large bruise on her forehead. She thinks about pulling her jeans off but decides against it. Instead she pulls her shirt back on self consciously, and motions to her knees.

Marissa is shaking her head, back and forth slowly, her hands cupped over her mouth. "Summer.." She steps towards Summer and hugs her tightly, murmuring apologies as Summer whimpers at the touch of Marissa's arms around her back. When they pull away Summer's cheeks are wet and her mascara is beginning to run.

"Summer, we should get my parents." Seth says gently to her.

"No." Summer says firmly. "No. No body else can know about this. I wasn't going to tell anybody, I didn't want you guys to know so.. no. Please don't tell your parents." Summer looks up at Seth with wide eyes.

There's a knock on the pool house door suddenly. Summer scrambles over to Seth, pulls her sweater on and hastily wipes away her tears before Ryan nonchalantly tells the visitor to come in. "Hey guys." Sandy smiles at the four. "Summer, your dad's here, he said he's gonna take you out for lunch, that you must have forgotten."

Lie. Total lie. Summer's dad hasn't taken her out to lunch in almost a year. "Okay." Her voice wobbles. "Tell him I'll be there in a minute."

"Summer! What're you thinking, you can't go home with him." Marissa says, semi hysterical.

Summer ignores her and instead asks them to walk her to the car. "Bye guys." She says, her voice cracking as she opens the car door.

And it breaks their hearts to see her get in that car and drive off, with the man who claims to be her father.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Thanks so much for the great reviews. I'm also almost done writing another chapter for Speeding Cars so that should be up by tomorrow afternoon at the latest. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**SketchyCord:Yay! I'm happy to see you reviewed and that you like the story so far.**

**Movies are our business: Glad you liked it so far, I can promise regular updates for a while because once I start writing a story I get really into it and write lots and lots. **

**Iko: Oo! Happy New Year to you too, I forgot to say that in the first post. I hope 2008 is going well for you so far and that you like this chapter.**

**Tines: Yeah, it's sort of strange because in the show her dad seems so kind but I've always sort of had this idea that he isn't as nice as he appears to be.**

**newportgirl22: Well my friend that is part of the storyline, how Summer doesn't want anyone, least of all an adult, to know :P.. but who knows what will happen.**

**k: Yeah, well I've always liked Seth/Summer better than Ryan/Marissa so I hope this story can live up to how great they are/were on screen.**

**newportz-princess: Your review made me so happy :D I'm so glad you like it! **

**MaiaRutledgeFan: I'm happy you liked it! Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

Summer is lying curled up under her covers. And she can hardly breathe. Hardly move. She doesn't want to make any sound. Yet she wants to scream, scream so loud that everyone hears her. So she settles for a compromise. She takes the phone and painfully crawls into her closet, dialing the Cohen's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Ryan.. it's me."

"Summer.. are you okay?"

"No. Not really. He.. he got me pretty bad. I'm really scared." Summer feels a little strange, because she's always put up this tough front, like she's unbreakable. The only three people she ever gets seriously upset in front of are Seth,Marissa and her dad. Her dad is now the person _causing _her to get seriously upset.

"I know. I'll come get you okay? Seth went out with Sandy for a half hour, I don't really know where, I was asleep.. whatever. I'll come okay?"

"You can't." Summer hiccoughs into the phone. "My dad won't let you take me.. he'll make up some excuse. He'll say that we're going out, that he's taking me somwhere. And then when you leave.." Summer clutches the phone so hard, she's surprised it doesn't drop into her ear cavity.

"Well is he leaving anytime soon? I could come over then.. maybe we could say that you were... I don't know tutoring me for summer school or something?"

"Maybe.. I don't know if he'll believe that though." Summer says uncertainly.

"Where... where did he hit you?" Ryan asks Summer slowly.

"We have this vase. A glass vase, somebody gave it to him for his birthday last year... I was coming up the stairs and he sort of.. he threw it at me. Only I wasn't that far away so it got my pretty bad. And then he just.. y'know the usual stuff."

"Summer.."

"I'll be okay Atwood. It doesn't hurt that much anymore." Summer's lying and she knows Ryan knows she's lying, which makes her feel even more pathetic.

"Summer, he threw a god damn vase at you... how can it not hurt. Summer please, let me tell Sandy. He can come over and we'll bring you here. Your dad.. he won't ever hurt you again."

For a moment, Summer is so incredibly tempted to say yes. She'll let Ryan bring her home. Live with the Cohen's. Live with _Seth_. She'll never have to see her father again. But she can't. "No." She says firmly. "No way."

Summer can hear Ryan sigh loudly on the other end and she feels bad. "I'm sorry.." She says helplessly.

"Don't even say it." Ryan says sharply. "You have nothing to be sorry for." Suddenly a door flings open and there's an angry yell.

"I have to go."

"Summer wait-"

"I'll call you tomorrow."

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Seth's sitting on the couch, a bowl of stale Doritos next to him, and a PlayStation controller in his hand, when Summer walks in. "Hey Cohen." She says quietly. His eyes bulge at the sight of her face, which is a mess of bruises and cuts. He opens his mouth once, as if to say something, but closes it and instead pushes the controller onto the ground and nudges the Doritos further down on the couch. Summer then lies down on the couch, next to Seth, his arms around hers. He runs his fingers through her hair because he figures this is one part of her that he won't hurt when he touches her.

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"Hey sweetie." Sandy kisses Kirsten on the cheek, placing on the countertop a paper bag of Chineese food.

"Hey. How was work?" Kirsten asks him absent mindedly, taking out a plastic container and unloading it's contents onto four glass plates.

"Meh. Worky." He replies cheerfully. "So how're the kids?"

"Well Seth and Ryan are fine."

"Yeah.. that would make sense considering they are our kids.."

Kirsten smiles. "I think something's up though."

"Yeah.. how?"

"I'm not sure I just.. I mean do they seem quieter to you? A little less happy almost? They're not going out as much, they never have anyone over." When Sandy gives her a slightly strange look, she smiles and gestures with her hands. "Mother's intuition.. probably just nothing."

"Probably. Boys! Dinner's ready!" Sandy calls. "Boys!" Ryan appears a few moments later, from the pool house.

"Seth's coming.. in a second. He's.. doing something." Kirsten gives Sandy an 'I-told-you-so' look and sets the plates on the table. "Aaany minute, he'll be here." Ryan nods his head back and forth and drums his fingers on the table. "So this looks good. Did you make this?" He asks, looking towards Kirsten. Seth walks through the door and Ryan breathes a sigh of relief.

"Hello family." He sits down at the table, oblivious to the strange looks that are flying his way and picks up a pair of chopsticks.

In the poolhouse, Summer and Marissa are sitting on Ryan's bed, their eyes darting nervously to the door every so often. "Summer... why didn't you ever tell us? About what he was doing?" Marissa asks carefully.

Summer considers this for a while. "I'm not sure.. I think like.. maybe I thought you guys would think.. I was weak or something. Because this was happening to me. And then you'd start treating me differently, and you'd want to tell someone. Then people would find out. My dad would get thrown in jail and.. even though that sounds so perfect because then he'd never touch me again it just.. where would I go? They'd wnat to put my in Social Services, or get in touch with one of my family members. I don't _have _any family, except for my insane Grandma in Washington. You guys, you,Seth and Ryan.. you're my family. But they'd never let me stay with any of you." Summer sighs shakily.

"Okay... but I just want you to know, that we'd never think you were weak. I think you're so tough Summer, for going through this and you're still happy and able to smile and everything. I just wish you'd let us help you. You could stay with us."

"At the trailer park?" Summer says, cracking a small smile. "No thanks Coop. I think I'd rather be stuck with my dad."

Marissa swats Summer and laughs.

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Summer's dad is at work. Summer can remember, when she was little, she used to hate it when her dad left for work. She had a babysitter, Clara. Clara had been fourteen. Summer remember she had huge boobs. Clara used to smile and pat Summer's head and call her sweetie while her father was in the house. As soon as her father left, Clara would hand Summer a bowl of chips, an apple and a can of Coke to last her for the day. She'd send Summer to her room and then invite her pervy boyfriend Chuck over. They made out all over the couch. Clara gave Summer five dollars not to tell her dad. She had been six. Five dollars had seemed like a lot.

Now, Summer is overjoyed by the fact that her dad isn't in the house. He won't be home till tomorrow morning, he has like five back-to-back surgeries. Summer heads over to the Cohen's, where she knows she'll find Seth, Ryan and probably Marissa. Sure enough, after Kirsten directs her to the poolhouse, she finds the three sitting on the carpet playing Uno.

"Uno?" Summer laughs at them. "God, you guys are cool."

"No Summer my dearest. You see, this is not your regular game of Uno." Seth assures Summer. He stretches over and produces a metal box. "This, is Uno Deluxe. I know. Your mind is blown. I think you should sit down, your head might explode from amazement." Summer stifles a laugh. Marissa and Ryan are busy casually placing their cards at the bottom of the pile, handing Seth the ones they don't like.

"Cohen. You **suck **at Uno Deluxe. Coop and Ryan are kicking your ass."

Seth's eyes widen at the fact that he has handfuls of cards in his pile and Marissa and Ryan are left with a mere few."Uno." Marissa says sweetly placing her last card down. "I win. Now can we _puh-lease _do something else."

"PlayStation!" Seth says. "Teenage Nina Mutant Turtles is calling my name. Listen. Seeeeth. Seeeeth." He whispers.

"You're such a freak." Summer laughs at him, sitting beside him and resting her head on his shoulder. "And I've missed you."

"Inspite of my freakiness?"

"Yeah, inspite of your freakiness. Mmm," She says thoughtfully, "what did I ever do without you?"

"I dunno Sum.. I still think if Ryan hadn't come along, Seth would still be a-"

"Total outcast?" Summer supplies helpfully.

"Pretty much."

"You're funny." Seth says dryly to Marissa. "Seriously Marissa. Leave Harbor. Become a stand up comedian."

And for the rest of the night, they sit around and joke like that, like they haven't done in so long. And Summer's happy. They fall asleep on the floor, at two in the morning, Summer in Seth's arms, Marissa in Ryan's. And for just a little while, Summer feels like everything's the way it should be.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi everyone. I'm sorry for not updating in such a long time, but I've been really busy. I was just getting my other story, Speeding Cars back on track and I never realized how hard it is to write two stories at the same time. I hope you guys haven't forgotten me and that you like this update! **

**charmed4eva112: Glad you liked the story! Yeah, I too liked Dr. Roberts on the show, but I always sort of thought ,until about season three he was just a bit of a weird character. **

**SketchyCord: Ho ho, who knows. Well you will know soon. I'm glad you like the Summer/ Ryan and Marissa/Seth friendship, I too really like that and I never thought they had enough of it on the show.**

**newportz-princess: Thanks so much!! Haha yeah I really enjoy writing Seth, even though I don't think I'm that good at it. He's so much fun. Glad you like the friendship between Ryan and Summer! **

**tines: Yeah I love it when they're all happy lol. One of these days I'll write a story where everyone is just happy haha.**

**ocsethummer: So glad you're liking the story. I tried to include a liittle bit of Seth's thoughts here, but there will be lots more as the story goes along.**

**Movies are our buisness: Thanks for the review! Glad you like the happiness, I'm a big fan of that. Wow. I just realized I say the word glad a lot haha. Anyay. Hope you like this update!**

**flapjacks: Thanks! Yeah, well like I said even though Dr. Roberts is really nice, up until they showed his character more, I never really liked him that much. Hope you like this.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

It's nearly two in the morning and someone is throwing rocks at Seth's window. He has no idea who's doing the rock-throwing or why but he's not in the mood for a broken window. So he gets up, opens his window and stares down at the grass. Summer's standing there, a handful of pebbles in her hand. She looks up at Seth and waves sadly. He holds up his index finger and then quietly comes downstairs. Summer's standing at the door.

"Do you think anyone heard you? Or me?" She asks nervously.

"No. I was being as stealth as possible. Are you okay?"

"Not really. My dad left for work but not before... well he just..." Summer trails off and pushes up the sleeves of her shirt to reveal a deep cut. "He won't be home for a while and I-I just didn't want to be alone."

"Oh Summer." Seth takes her in his arms and holds her tight. "You can come up to my room. It'll be okay." They fall asleep, after a while. Summer wakes up at one point, crying hysterically. "Summer." Seth says quietly. "Hey.. you're okay. It's alright, you're right here." He holds Summer close, rocks her back and forth and tells her everything will be okay.

But the truth is, he's really not so sure. Because this isn't supposed to happen to them, to her. Summer's dad isn't that guy, the alchoholic who hits his daughter, his perfect, beautiful daughter. Seth is afraid for her. He's afraid that one day, he's going to go too far. He'll hit her one too many times or throw something that's too heavy at her. He's afraid, essentially, that her own father is going to kill her. And this scares the hell out of him. So he holds her tigher and closer and sends up a little prayer.

Because hey, he's Seth.

He's got Jesus **and **Moses on his side.

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Seth is visiting Summer. Granted, he's not really sure why. But Summer called him and said, in this really shaky, kinda whimpery voice, that he needed to come over. So he's going. Regardless of the fact that it's two thirty in the morning. He could just tell, when Summer called that something wasn't right. He could tell by the way her voice shook, the way she kept having to stop speaking and start over. So now he's in front of the Robert's house. Ryan's waiting in the Range Rover and looks a mixture between being angry at Seth waking him up at two thirty, and concern for Summer. Seth won't actually let Ryan get out of the car, but he figures he should bring him in case he needs someone to beat Summer's dad up.

He is now faced with the problem of how he's actually going to get into the house. Finally, after walking up and down the semi-circle drive way six times, Seth discovers the lack of cars in said driveway. So he tries the handle, finds that it's open and goes up to Summer's room. And as soon as he opens her bedroom door, it's evident what happened. Why Summer had called him.

Because Summer is sitting on her bed, clutching Princess Sparkles in her hands. Her t-shirt and jeans are turned inside out, the pockets hanging out of the jeans. Her hair is a mess and a bruise is stretching from just under her eye to her lower jaw.

"Summer?" Seth asks cautiously, because Summer isn't acknowledging the fact that he's there. She's just starting straight ahead, her eyes big and vacant. Seth makes his way to the bed and sits down beside Summer. He puts his hand on her back and it's like she breaks at his touch because she starts crying, like a tiny child, into Seth's shirt. "Sum... what did he do?" He asks because he has to know, although he's pretty sure he already does.

"He tried.." Summer is shaking and she presses her hands into her eyes, at an attempt to stop the tears from falling.

"It's okay." Seth says softly. "You don't have to say it. We can't be here though. What if he comes back. You can't be here. C'mon, we'll go back to my house, or Marissa's. Ryan's waiting in the car, he can take us.. somewhere."

Summer shakes her head. "No.. Seth please no. I don't want him to see me, to know what happened it's just.. really embarassing."

"Sum, I'm getting you out of here, if your dad comes back you can't be here. Please, let's go. It'll be okay." Seth puts his hand on Summer's arm and gently strokes it with his thumb.

" 'Kay." Summer murmurs. She stands up, her face twisted in pain, and reaches for Seth's arm. Seth guides her gently downstairs and out the door. Summer keeps looking around nervously, as though she expects to see her dad pull in the driveway any second. The Range Rover is parked in the driveway and as soon as Ryan spots them he gets out of the car.

"Summer?" He asks slowly, quietly shutting the car door. His gaze drifts slowly to her inside out clothing, her tousled hair, her smudged lipstick. He nods slowly, his hands clenching into fists. "What happened."

Summer looks up at Ryan, looking like a little girl. "My dad...he attacked me... and not like the other times." Her voice cracks. "Because this time, he didn't just hit me."

Seth tightens his grip on her arm and Ryan steps forward. "C'mon." He opens the passengar door of the car and helps Summer into the car."Where are we going?"

"Home?" Seth suggest. "Pool house?" He looks over at Summer to see her feelings on the pool house.

"Sure.. I don't want your parents to know I'm there Seth, please they can't know."

"Summer are you kidding me? You have got to be joking.. he tried to rape you Summer."

"He didn't **try **to rape me." She says and faces the window. She's silent for the rest of the car ride.

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Ryan calls Marissa, only because he doesn't know what else to do. Because Summer won't say anything, to either of them. She's being eerily quiet, eerily calm. " 'Lo?" Marissa's voice is groggy and disorienter. "Who'sit?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Ryan?" She immediantly wakens up. "What's going on? Is everything okay?"

"Not really. It's Summer. You should probably come over here. We're in the pool house... I'll meet you out front."

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"Where is she?" Marissa asks frantically, five minutes later. Marissa's hair is in a messy ponytail. She's wearing grey sweat pants, some old t-shirt and no makeup. And yet Ryan can't help but think she looks beautiful.

"Like I said, we're in the pool house.. but she's not saying anything. She won't talk and she isn't crying.. it's scary." Marissa follows Ryan into the pool house. Summer's sitting on the bed, her legs crossed. Her clothes are still inside out. Her hair's still a mess. She isn't looking at Seth, but steals a slightly nervous glance at Marissa.

Marissa doesn't know what to do. This isn't exactly a new sensation, but she usually has some clue. She's Marissa Cooper, she's supposed to know what to do. But this is a new. Never before has she been faced with something like this, seeing her best friend like this. And then there's the fact that it's rarely Marissa making sure Summer's okay. Most of the time, it's the other way around. Summer's there to pick up the pieces that Marissa leaves lying around, making sure Marissa doesn't get hurt. Marissa wonders if this makes her a bad friend.

She thinks for a minute, playing a game of Pretend. She wonders what Summer would do, if the roles were reversed. After she thinks about it, Marissa sits down beside Summer and squeezes her hand. This feels right, after the countless times that Summer's done the same for Marissa.

"Sum," Marissa says gently, "you've gotta tell someone. I've tried.. I've tried just going along with it but I won't anymore." Marissa takes a deep breath. "If you don't tell someone, then I will."

"No.." Summer trails off. "Please. D-don't." Tears fill Summer's eyes but she makes no attempt to wipe them away, simply glancing back and forth between Seth and Ryan for backup.

"Summer, she's right," Seth says, sitting down on the other side of Summer, and putting a hand on her back. "I love you Summer and if you don't tell.. he's going to kill you."

"I just..." tears cloud Summer's eys, "I just don't want him to hurt you guys. If he can... if he can do this to me without.. without even feeling bad." Summer stops suddenly. She tucks her hair behind her ears and continues. "If he can hurt his own daughter.. he'd have no problem doing anything to you guys. And you're my best friends, if something happened to you, it'd be my fault. Because if we tell someone, then he's going to know that you guys know. And I can't.. I can't lose you guys.. you're basically all I have." Summer feels cheesy talking like this, as though she's reciting lines from some movie. But it's what she feels and if she's got to tell them so that they won't tell, then she will.

"Sum," Marissa says gently. She looks at a loss for what to do, but settles for schooching closer to her. Summer smiles sadly at them and winces as she accidentally touches a cut on her arm.

"So that's why we can't tell anyone," Summer finishes off. Ryan curses under his breath and makes a fist with his hand.

"Anyone hungry?" Seth asks, at an attempt to be halfway cheery.

"Yeah.. I could eat." Marissa says,s lightly shakily. "Bagles? French fries?"

Seth stares at Marissa with a confused look on his face. "How are you so skinny?"

She smiles, shrugs and then the four of them stand up. Summer winces and leans into Seth. They enter into the kitchen, Seth quietly shutting the door behind him. "You can wait in the living room, if you want." He says to Summer. She smiles and hobbles off, Marissa running after her, trying to help her. Marissa nearly screams out when she sees a figure sitting on the couch. The TV is on, turned down low. Sandy is staring hazily at the TV, looking as though he may fall asleep but the moment he sees Summer he sits up, looking alert.

"Summer?" Sandy asks incredously, as though there's no way the battered girl in front of him is Summer Roberts.

"Yeah."

"I think we should get Kirsten. Sit down."


	4. Chapter 4

"Shit," Summer whimpers. Sandy is already on his way upstairs. Summer sinks onto the couch. "Oh shit."

Marissa puts her hand cautiously on Summer's arm. "Sum.. I know that this.. it seems like you don't want them knowing. But you do, they can help you. They'll get you away from him."

"Sure," Summer says sadly. "Marissa please.. go distract Kirsten and Sandy.. tell them you think you just heard a gun shot.. I don't care. I have to get out of here."

"Summer, are you crazy? Listen Sum. They're going to help you okay? It'll be okay-" Marissa is in the middle of trying to reassure Summer, when Sandy and Kirsten come in, followed closely by Ryan and Seth.

"Summer," Kirsten says, heading over towards Summer. Kirsten sits down beside Summer, placing a careful hand on her back.

"Mrs. Cohen, it really isn't as bad as it looks, I swear he just-"

"Summer. Cut the bullshit," Ryan says.

"Ryan," Sandy says, in a slight warning voice.

"Sandy, look at her. He's.. he's been doing this to her, his own damn daughter, for so long. It is as bad as it looks Kirsten." Ryan is fighting to keep his voice calm.

"Summer, he is right you know," Kirsten says. "You can't pretend like this is okay, that what he's doing to you is fine. Because it isn't."

"I know I just.. he only does it-"

"All the time," Seth cut in.

"No," Summer says desperately, "just when he's drunk."

"Which," Marissa says, tears filling her eyes, "is all the time."

"No, it's not like that, it's not I just-"

"Summer," Sandy says standing up. "I'm going over to your father's. And then I'm calling the police. I'm not going to stand by and watch while your father kills you, I can't do that. Do you know how bad we'd feel? How bad I feel right now, seeing you sit there, beat up like that? Kirsten, you coming?"

Kirsten nods, gives Summer a quick hug and follows Sandy. "Lock the doors," she tells the four. As soon as Kirsten and Sandy are out of earshot, Summer turns angrily to Marissa, Ryan and Seth.

"Why the hell did you do that?" She cries. "I thought," Summer's two steps away from either hitting them or starting to sob, "you guys understood why we wouldn't tell? You said it'd be okay." Summer stands up.

"Summer, I watched assholes beat my mom up for years and years. She went to bed crying every night and in the morning she got up and pretended like it had never happened. It killed me Summer, because I was a kid. I couldn't do anything. The guys all told me if I ever went to the police, they' d beat me up much worse than my mom. And I'm not going to let your dad do this to you, because I can do something about it now. I love you Summer, we all do. We're helping you, we really are."

Summer presses her lips together and hugs Ryan tightly. "Thank you. I'm sorry I just."

"Yeah," Ryan says, surprised. He hugs Summer back.

"You're my best friend Sum," Marissa says, once Ryan and Summer pull away. "If anything ever happened to you.. and I know I could have stopped it, I couldn't live with myself... I'd just go through the rest of my life thinking, what if I would have done something? And I don't want to do the whole what if thing. I don't even want to _think _about that."

"Coop I-"

"You don't have to say anything," Marissa says gently, hugging Summer.

"Cohen," Summer says, a smile on her face but tears in her eyes, "I don't think I can handle much more of this."

"Never fear, my Summer Breeze. I'll try to tone down the sentimental stuff, so I'll just say this. I love you. I always have, ever sinc I was four years old. And I always will."

"Seth, you ass," Summer says, stepping forward to kiss him. "You said it wouldn't be sentimental."

"I make no promises."

**OCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOC**

"I just.." Kirsten shakes her head, flipping the radio on and off. "I just don't understand what kind of man can do that to his own daughter? To Summer. I liked Neil. We had him over for dinner Sandy!" Kirsten exlaims. "The two of you played golf together."

"I know," Sandy says, turning down the road to the Robert's house. Sandy looks angry. No, Kirsten decides, he looks furious. The police are following their car. Sandy hopes that Neil is home so that they can throw his ass in jail, where he'll never be able to get Summer, or anyone else.

There's no cars in the circle driveway. Sandy gets out of the car, followed closely by Kirsten and the two police officer. "Sandy," one of them says, "did you leave the four kids at home?"

Sandy nods.

"Mr. Cohen, you do realize that if Mr. Roberts isn't here, he could have easily gone to your house? Broken in. With your children, his daughter, there alone?"

"I'm calling for backup," the other one says.

"Sandy," Kirsten turns around, stepping towards the Robert's house and then back towards their car. "What if.."

Sandy shook his head. "I'm so stupid," he said, more to himself than Kirsten. "I'm a lawyer, damn it. I know these kinds of things. I've heard the stories before. And it's always dead people. The people telling the stories are their friends, their parents. They never make it."

"We have to go," Kirsten says frantically.

**OCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOC**

"Who the hell comes to the door this late at night?" Seth grumbles, Summer behind him cautiously. "Hello?" He calls out. "Who is it?"

"Is my daughter there?" It's Doctor Roberts. He sounds drunk and angry.

"Is this Doctor Roberts?" Seth asks, because although he knows it is, a tiny part of him is hoping the man will say no.

"Who the hell do you think it is? Yes, it's Doctor Roberts. Is my daughter there?"

"No, I'm afraid not sir."

"I know she's there Seth. You're the only people that like her, it's the only place she has to go." At this Ryan's face sets into stone. "I'm going to ask you one more time. Is Summer there?"

"No. I've already told you. She isn't here."

No response. Seth breathes a sigh of relief and puts his arm around Summer. "It's okay, he's gone."

But Seth is wrong. Because moments later there's a shatter of glass, a gun shot and Doctor Roberts is standing in the Cohen's kitchen.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks so much for all the reviews! Sorry it took me a while to update, I was at a bunch of plays, then slept over at my friend's house and we got like no sleep so anyway! I didn't really like this chatper, I don't know why. I just felt like it wasn't my best writing, or even very good, but hopefully you'll disagree with me! As always, feel free to review! **

"Bet you're sorry now, you little bitch," Doctor Roberts steps towards Summer rapidly. Seth and Ryan both unconsciously step in front of her. Ryan is fully prepared to beat the shit out of him if he so much as lays a finger on Summer.

"Daddy," Summer begs.

"Shut up." Doctor Roberts rips off his jacket and out of the left hand pocket pulls out a gun. Summer steadies herself. Her father wouldn't shoot her, she tells herself. But the scary thing is that Summer's not so sure she believes herself. Her father raped her, he's thrown things at her, choked her, burned her. He's drunk and it's always worse when he's drunk.

"Daddy-"

"You move," Doctor Roberts says, putting his finger on the trigger. "And I shoot. You scream, I shoot. You don't listen to me? I shoot. Got it?" After a pause, in which Summer and Marissa are both willing themselves not to cry, Doctor Roberts speaks again. "I said **got it."**

"Yes."

"Good. You," Doctor Roberts points to Summer, "get over here, you little slut." Summer, shoulders shaking, walks slowly towards her father. Her father takes Summer's face in his hands and presses his lips against hers. Summer pushes away, Marissa gasps. "Summer, be a good little girl."

"Daddy, please don't."

"Summer," her father trills dangerously, raising the gun and pointing it in the general direction of Summer's head. So Summer closes her eyes, tears seeping out of them, running down her cheek and lets her father kiss her. Marissa couldn't watch. She couldn't watch her best friend be kissed by her father. She couldn't watch her best friend's boyfriend looking lost and helpless, and she couldn't watch her boyfriend's fists clenching and unclenching, his eyes angrier than she'd seen them in a long time.

As her father kisses Summer, he's making half moon circles with his nails up and down her arms. And Ryan snaps. He steps forward and punches Doctor Roberts. Normally, after Ryan punches someone, he doesn't feel so great. He feels like he shouldn't have. But just then, when Doctor Robert's head flies back and blood falls from his nose, Ryan finally feels some sense of small justice.

But then, within seconds, even though Doctor Roberts is lying on the ground, clutching his nose, he points the gun at Summer's leg. He pulls the trigger. And the bullet leaves the gun, hitting Summer in her right leg. Summer falls to the ground, screaming. Ryan, Marissa and Seth both make their way towards her but before either of them can get too close, Doctor Roberts has the gun in his hand again.

"I told you, you assholes. You move, I shoot. You moved, so I shot."

"Neil," Ryan is saying, stuffing his fists in his pockets. "Please. Summer's hurt. Can we at least.. do something? Please? Just wrap something around the wound."

While Ryan is talking, Sandy, Kirsten and at least seven police officers have walked through the door that Doctor Roberts broke. They're standing amongst shards of broken glass, the police officers carefully inching their way towards the five.

"Doctor Roberts," one of the police officers says, his gun pointed at Neil. "You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent, anything-"

"What the hell are you doing?" Neil asks, turning around to face the police officer, pointing his gun at him.

"Mr. Roberts, you either come with me now or-"

By this time, the other six officers have surrounded Doctor Roberts, guns pointed at him. "Mr. Roberts, I'll tell you one more time. Please lower your gun and come with us."

"God damn it," Doctor Roberts says. But he drops the gun and the moment he does, two things happen all at once. The police officers rush up to him, swooping the gun out of reaching distance, putting a pair of handcuffs around his wrists, leading him outside. And Ryan, Marissa and Seth are all at Summer's side, arms around her, fingers stroking her hair, hands rubbing her back.

Paramedics rush in with a stretcher and then just as quickly rush out, the group of five following them. "Wait," Kirsten says at they're loading the stretcher into the ambulance. "Can.. can somebody come?"

"One of you can. The rest can follow in their cars, but we have to leave immediately." The paramedic tells them.

Marissa looks at Seth, giving him permission to go and Seth silently thanks her. The ambulance pulls out of the drive way nee-no ing its way to the hospital. Ryan pulled Marissa close to him and led her to his car.

"We'll meet you guys there," Sandy says, as he and Kirsten get into their own car.

**OCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOCOC**

"She'll be okay," Ryan tells Marissa, getting into the driver's seat and starting the car. Marissa hurriedly jumps into the passengar seat, forgetting about seatbelts, almost forgetting to even shut her door.

"What if.. I just," Marissa shudders. She can't get the visual out of her head, Summer falling, her leg bleeding, Doctor Roberts kissing her, the finger nail marks on her arms as the paramedics loaded her up into the stretcher. "I can't believe she's been dealing with that for so long and never.. never said a word. I can't believe I let it happen to her. What kind of a friend does that?"

"Riss, it's not your fault. The important thing is that she's safe now okay? Her dad won't hurt her anymore."

"But Ryan," Marissa says in a disbelieving voice, "he shot her. She's not okay."

"It's in the leg, babe. She'll be okay." Ryan pulls into the hospital moments later. He climbs out of the car, opens Marissa's door and walks hand in hand with her to the ER.

After moments of signed papers, raised voices and sighs, Summer is admitted. Now all they can do is wait. Ryan and Seth are sitting on the hospital chairs, watching Marissa pace up and down the halls. Ryan had tried to get her to sit down, or get something to eat, but she had refused. "What if the doctors come and give us news?" She had said. "I can't be in the cafeteria."

"Seth, man, she'll be alright." Ryan tells Seth, for the sake of having something to say. "Sorry," Ryan adds.

"For what?" Seth asks.

"I just know if that was Marissa, in there.. I'd get really sick, really fast of people telling me she'd be alright."

"Yeah." Seth nods, thoughtfully. "Yeah I am getting sort of sick of that. But thanks, though. I guess it's better than being like, yeah just give up all hope or whatever."

A doctor comes out, just then, a clipboard in his hands, a pair of glasses perched preciously on the edge of his nose. "You here for Ms. Roberts?"

Seth stands up and Marissa moves closer. "Yep."

"Is her guardian here?"

Seth laughs wryly. "No. He isn't."

"Well do you know where I could find him?"

"In jail, most likely."

"Alright, well what about Mr and Mrs Cohen?" The doctor beckons to them and then goes to lead them off into a separate room.

"No," Kirsten says. "They can hear this."

"Fine."

"Is Summer okay?" Marissa asks shakily.

"The gunshot wound is fine. She'll just have to keep off of it for a few days. Here are some painkillers, I'd say take between two and five a day, depending on how bad the pain is."

"Can we see her?" Marissa asks, Ryan's fingers intertwining with her own.

"Yes." The doctor reaches up to itch his bald spot. "Room twenty four. Don't stay too long, she's tired."

Marissa races away from them, pulling Ryan behind her, Seth close on their heels. Sandy and Kirsten follow not so quickly and Ryan is guessing they'll wait outside.

Marissa flies at Summer and while Marissa knows she shouldn't, she can't help herself. In the past like.. what five, six hours? Her best friend has been raped and shot. It sounds like an episode of some stupid after school special or an unrealistic ER episode. But it's really happening. Marissa wraps her arms tightly around Summer. "Are you okay?" She says.

Summer can't talk, just supresses a sob and buries her head in Marissa's shoulder. Seth moves closer when Marissa retreats back into Ryan's arms. Seth, who looks a little scared to touch Summer, sits beside her on the thin hospital bed and pulls her close. Summer turns her head, with some difficult, into Seth's chest and cries.

From outside the hospital room, Sandy takes Kirsten's hand. "You know," Kirsten says, fighting hard to control her voice, "it's so damn unfair. You know, it really is. I don't get it, what would have to happen to make you do something like that. He must.. he must really be crazy Sandy. Actually mentally unstable. Can you imagine her having to live with him.. for so long? To go home every night to him?" Kirsten shudders.

Sandy doesn't know what to say. He always has something to say but this time he just links his arm around Kirsten shoulders and holds her, smelling her haiw (strawberry shampoo and cinnamon.) It's the smell he's gone to bed with and the smell he's woken up to every morning. And Sandy knows one thing that he can say, though it's not going to take away Neil (Sandy can't bring himself to call him Doctor, because Doctor's are supposed to fix people who are hurt) or make Summer all better. "I love you."


End file.
